Electric lantern



. May 25, 1954 H. F. EMIGH v ELECTRIC LANTERN Filed June 19, 1950 HQJY? h Zhwenfot (Ittomeg Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES NT OFF [C E ELECTRIC LANTERN Harry F. Emigh, Hutchinsn',=.Kans;

Application June19, 1950,.SerialNo. 168,981

1 Claim. 1

Thisinvention relates to electric lanterns and is' more particularly directed to switch control mechanisms thereof. One of. the objects of the invention is to. provide a lantern with a removable head in which a selector switch is bui1t and contained entirely within the head. With this arrangement it is possible to quickly and easily substitute heads should the switch mechanism fail from .any cause.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch mechanism of the character indicated which can beused to light any one or all, or any combination, of the bulbs carried by the head.

A further object of the invention is to combine aground control or master switch with the bulb selector switch so that the battery may be entirely disconnected from the case or'body when the lantern is not in use.

With the general objects named in view and others. as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of an electric lantern embodying the invention, the illustration showing a single headed lantern, although it is to be understood that a double headed lantern and swinging or adjustable bail may be used if desired.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section through the removable head.

Figure 3 is a section at right angles to that of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken through the battery case with the battery omitted.

Figure 5 is a lay out of the selector switch.

Figure 6 is a lay out of the grounding master switch.

In the said drawing, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 is the lantern body or case, illustrated as provided at one end with a removable head 2 and fitted with a standard dry cell 3. The battery or cell 3 is equipped with a center and edge or corner terminals 4 and 5 respectively.

The removable head is in the form of a cup 6 provided with a shoulder to fit over the end of the lantern body I. The other face of the head is formed with three sockets 1 for light bulbs 8, although it is to be understood that any desired number of bulbs may be provided.

The switch mechanism of the invention comprises an insulating disk 9 fitted against the inner face of the head 2. Mounted on the disk 9 is an 2 insulating housing ll] of rectangular form and preferably parting on its center line and provided with internal cavities H, l2 and I3, separated by spacersor partitions. After the internal switch parts hereinafter described have been assembled,

the caseand disk are secured as a unit within the v head 2 by means of rivets M or the like.

Journaled. within the cavity H is a selector switch shaft [Shaving an external'control knob "5a; The switch shaft is preferably of non-conducting'material and may be provided with an enlarged head Iii within the cavity [2 to hold the shaft against dislodgement.

Considering Figure 5 in detail, it is to be understood that the metal sheath member H is here shown in pattern form before being bent to cylindrical form around the non-conducting shaft and that it is provided with cut-outs l8 and contactsockets H] which are illustrated in three vertical columns a, b, and c spaced apart equal to the spacing of three conducting balls car= ried by the housing and in circuit with the three lamp sockets. Th balls 2i] are advanced by springs 2| into the sheath sockets H) or sheath cut-outs H! as shaft I5 is manually rotated. This arrangement provides for eight switching arrangements when the horizontal rows (shown in Figure 5) are considered from the top down, as follows:

Column a Column b Column 0 p) p) p) Off Off On Off On On On On Oil On On On On Off Off On Off On On Off Off On On On The opposite ends of the springs 2! are in current conducting contact with straps or conductors 22 leading to the center contact of each of the electric bulbs 3. With the switch arrangement illustrated any single bulb, combination of bulbs, or all the bulbs, may be on or off as desired.

The upper or cap member of the housing i0 is formed with a projecting stud 23 upon which an insulating disk 24 may rotate under conditions hereinafter described, said disk being held in position by a split spring ring 25 engaging a groove in a center terminal 28 secured on the upper end of a rivet 21. The lower end of rivet 21 carries a contact sho 23 which is in constant wiping contact with the metal sheath I! of the shaft l5. The center terminal is preferably slightly concave on its upper surface and is tightly pressed against the center terminal 4 of the battery 3.

To contact the other battery terminal 5, the insulating disk 24 carries a metal ring or plate 29, whose outer edge is supported by an insulating washer 30 carried between the shoulder of the cap 2 and the body I of the lantern. With the arrangement described and shown, it will be apparent that the battery contacting parts of the head assembly are swivelled or journaled in relation to the parts carried by the head. This arrangement has proven highly desirable since it has been found that sometimes there is a tendency for the battery terminals to dig into or jam in relation to the rotation of the head. When the parts are swivelled freedom of operation of the parts without breakage is always assured.

In order to ground the battery terminal 5, a second shaft 3! having an external operating knob 32 at its outer end, and being formed, if desired, with an enlarged head 33 within chamber I2 separated from the head II by an insulating disk 34, is journaled in the switch housing. This shaft 3! is enwrapped or encircled by a metal contact sheath 35 formed at diametrically opposite points with contact depressions 36 and cut-outs 31. Contact balls 38 cooperate with this sheath, said balls being advanced by compression springs 39 having their opposite ends in electrical contact respectively with the inner face of the head 2, and with the underface of the grounding ring 29. In order to provide assurance that there shall be no binding of the parts, the upper spring 39 is guided by a pin 40 downwardly projecting from the underside of a contact shoe 4|. To prevent cooking or canting of the shoe, it is provided with a pair of guide pins 42 which are slidingly received within bores or passageways in the body of the switch as shown. These pins may each be provided with expansion springs 43 to urge the contact shoe into good engagement with the ring 29.

From the above description and drawing, it will be apparent that I have produced a consruction embodying all of the features of advantage set forth as desirable; and while I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make all changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

1 claim:

In an electric lantern, the combination with a body having an open end adapted to receive a battery, of a head removably closing the end of said body, an insulating housing mounted within the head, a cylindrical non-conducting switch shaft journaled in the housing and having one end projecting exteriorly of the head, a tubular conducting sheath encircling the shaft and having a cut-out providing a circuit-off point, a center battery contact in constant circuit with said sheath, a lamp socket carried by the head with one side grounded thereto, a conductor from the other side of the lamp socket, a spring carried by the housing and in electrical engagement with the conductor, and a ball contact in the housing and electrically engaged with and advanced by the spring into engagement with the conducting sheath or its cut-out as the shaft is rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,146,623 Koretzlcy July 13, 1915 1,513,533 Cobb Oct. 28, 1924 1,892,075 Noffs Dec. 27, 1932 1,893,292 Larson Jan. 3, 1933 2,036,088 Darling Mar. 31, 1936 2,274,932 Patche Mar. 3, 1942 

